The Big Picture - Barry Ritholtz - Market to Market?

On Mark-to-Market

 

By Barry Ritholtz - January 4th, 2011, 9:30AM

I love this quote:

“Next time you hear a banker denounce mark-to-market rules, ask if he runs his business that way. Will he offer you a mortgage loan based on what you think your home should be worth, which you can repay only if you make a lot more money than anyone will pay you? If so, then perhaps the bank should be able to use “Alice in Wonderland” accounting on its own books.
Or maybe that is not such a good idea. The banks already tried that, with liars’ loans. Those loans did not work out so well.”
-Floyd Norris

If any of you Mark-to Market defenders care to take a swing at that one, have at it . . .